A Saturday Morning LTC Story

I had to be up bright and early this morning. Another Governance Task Force meeting to get to by bus, so I set my alarm and was lucky enough to hear it when it started to serenade me at 7:00 am. A quick shower and out the door so I could hoof it several blocks over to the Pond Mills SuperCuts. Usually I just buzz it myself (those of us on disability incomes could teach the city a thing or two about frugality), but I didn’t want to address the GTF looking like I’d just joined the Marines.

I was fortunate enough to be the first customer of the day. Along with an excellent haircut, the lady who attended to me was kind enough to share some of her story as a refugee immigrant. Having gone online and used the LTC’s Interactive Map, I knew that I had a few moments to get a newspaper at the 7-Eleven and a sit-down coffee across the street at the BK.

Back across the street with a few minutes to spare, and then aboard the Base Line going west with a request that the driver radio in a request that the Jalna southbound not depart the transfer point without me. On this occasion we arrived first, and in fact it was several minutes before the Jalna appeared. That’s not always the case, and it’s best not to leave it to chance. Another few short minutes and I arrived at the Earl Nichols Arena.

That’s how public transit can work. And when it does work like that, I’m sold on it. My waiting time on that outward leg was about 10 min’s total, with a travelling time of about 20 min’s I’ll guess. Piece of cake.

Once again the Task Force meeting was well worth attending. I’m only ashamed that too few citizens turned out for it.

No control over the meeting’s ending time, no opportunity to plan the return journey. You take what you get. In this case I waited approx. 20 min’s for the Jalna northbound to appear, and about 5 min’s travelling time again back to the transfer point at Wharncliffe & BaseLine. I should have guessed that things were going too good.

I arrived and took up my position at the transfer point about 12:15 – 12:20 pm. And I waited. And I waited. Here comes a bus… no, that’s a Westmount. And I waited some more. OK, here comes another one. No, this one’s a Westmount too. That’s kind of annoying. Thanks at least that it’s not as cold today as the previous experience that I told you about. Still, it’s a bit cold to sit down even though my bum knee’s starting to feel it by now.

When the next eastbound to show up turned out to be another Westmount, I was starting to become a bit more than annoyed. I mean, this has to be some kind of joke, doesn’t it? Who put them up to this? Didn’t they like my previous story? I might have kicked something if not for the fact that my knee was throbbing more than my heart by now (and more painfully, but I’m not going to complain about that).

I know what you’re going to say… he has to be making this up…the next bus to arrive couldn’t possibly have been another Westmount. Well, dear readers, I swear to you on a stack of bibles that it’s true. The 4th eastbound Westmount in a row did indeed pull up just before my BaseLine finally put in it’s appearance. I tell you no lie.

Another 5 min’s approx. and there’s my stop. Same 20 min. (approx) travelling time on the homeward leg, but this time the waiting time’s at least an hour. I think I’m going to hibernate for the rest of the weekend. I’m all bussed out. Larry and John… they say that patience is a virtue. Thanks to you guys, I must be just about one of the most virtuous people I know by now.

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This entry was posted on February 2, 2008 at 3:53 pm and is filed under Transit. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
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